British Airways crew plans to strike again

Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty ImagesBritish Airways crew members strike in March 2010.LONDON — British Airways PLC cabin crew plan say they will strike for a total of 20 days over a 23-day period in May and June.

The Unite union says that staff plan to walk out May 18-22, May 24-28, May 30-June 3 and June 5-9.

The airline flies directly to and from London out of Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. It is unclear how the strike will affect these flights.

The unprecedented scale of the strike action ramps up a long-running and bitter dispute between cabin crew and the airline over changes to pay and working conditions.

Two strikes by crew over seven days in March cost the airline around 45 million pounds ($65.8 million) in canceled flights and contingency provisions, including hiring other aircraft complete with staff.